In today’s digital world, our smartphones have become much more than communication devices. They hold our private conversations, photographs, financial information, location history, work documents and personal thoughts. While this technology makes everyday life easier, it also creates serious questions about privacy, cybersecurity and who ultimately controls our personal information.
A recent discussion with cybersecurity expert Ahmed Kangji, CEO of Gridware, highlights the growing risks associated with digital surveillance, data collection, sophisticated spyware and the increasing use of artificial intelligence.
The central message is clear: protecting personal information has become an essential part of modern life.
The Value of Your Personal Data
Every day, people generate enormous amounts of digital information. Social media activity, online searches, mobile applications, location services and messaging platforms all contribute to a detailed picture of an individual’s life.
This information is valuable to advertisers seeking to personalise marketing, technology companies developing their services and criminals looking for opportunities to commit fraud.
Data can reveal more than people realise. Patterns in location history may indicate where someone lives, works or regularly visits. Personal communications can expose relationships, financial difficulties and private concerns. When combined, seemingly insignificant pieces of information can become a detailed profile of an individual.
Cybercriminals can exploit this information for identity theft, financial fraud, account takeovers and blackmail. Personal details may also be collected and sold through illicit markets, allowing different criminal groups to exploit information they did not originally steal themselves.
The risk is not limited to wealthy individuals or public figures. Ordinary people can suffer significant harm when their personal information is exposed.
Can Someone Spy on Your Phone Without You Knowing?
One of the most concerning topics discussed in the interview was advanced mobile spyware, including tools such as Pegasus.
Sophisticated spyware can potentially give an attacker access to messages, photographs, location information and other sensitive data on a compromised device. Depending on the spyware and the access obtained, an attacker may be able to monitor activity without obvious signs of infection.
Encrypted messaging does not necessarily protect information once a device itself has been compromised. Encryption protects messages in transit, but spyware operating on an infected phone may access information after it has been decrypted for the user.
However, it is important to distinguish advanced targeted surveillance from everyday cybercrime. Mercenary spyware is generally associated with targeted attacks against journalists, activists, politicians and other individuals of interest. It is not evidence that every smartphone is being secretly monitored.
For most people, more common risks include phishing messages, malicious applications, stolen passwords, fraudulent websites and insecure account settings.
Government Access and the Privacy Debate
The interview also raised concerns about law enforcement’s ability to access information stored on mobile phones.
Smartphones can contain evidence relevant to criminal investigations, including communications, photographs, calendars and location records. Digital forensic techniques may sometimes recover deleted information, depending on the device, its security features and how the data was stored or overwritten.
Law enforcement access raises important questions about the balance between public safety and individual privacy. Investigators may have legitimate reasons to examine a device, but the scope of their powers, the legal safeguards governing access and the availability of independent oversight are equally important.
The interview discussed changes to police powers in New South Wales, Australia. These claims concern a particular legal jurisdiction and should not automatically be applied to other countries. Anyone concerned about the law should consult current legislation and reliable legal guidance relevant to their location.
The broader principle remains relevant everywhere: technological capabilities should be accompanied by clear rules governing when personal data can be accessed, how it can be used and how individuals’ rights are protected.
Data Brokers and the Business of Surveillance
Another concern is the growing market for personal information.
Data brokers collect, combine and distribute information obtained from numerous sources. Depending on the service and applicable law, this information may include location data, consumer interests, demographic details and patterns of online activity.
Some applications collect information for advertising or analytics, and their data may be shared with third parties. Information from multiple sources can potentially be combined to create detailed profiles of individuals and communities.
The interview also discussed Palantir, a data analytics company whose work includes government, defence and commercial applications. The controversy surrounding companies operating in this area reflects broader concerns about how large datasets are combined, what decisions they support and what protections exist for the people represented in those datasets.
The issue is not simply whether a company possesses information. It is also how that information is used, who can access it and whether individuals have meaningful control over its collection and distribution.
Is Your Phone Listening to You?
Many people have experienced conversations about a product followed by advertisements for something similar. This can create the impression that their phones are constantly recording private conversations.
Microphone access is a genuine privacy consideration, but targeted advertisements alone do not establish that a phone is secretly listening. Advertising systems can use browsing activity, searches, location information, app interactions and other signals to predict what someone may be interested in.
Nevertheless, applications with microphone permissions deserve scrutiny. Users should understand which applications can access the microphone, camera, contacts and location, and whether those permissions are necessary for the service provided.
Software security is also an important consideration. An application downloaded from an unfamiliar source or an outdated application with an unpatched vulnerability may introduce risks that users do not immediately recognise.
Rather than assuming that every phone is compromised, people should focus on verifiable security practices and investigate specific warning signs when they arise.
The growth of AI chatbots introduces another dimension to digital privacy.
People increasingly use AI tools to discuss work, relationships, health concerns, financial questions and personal difficulties. These conversations can contain information
